Thursday, August 28, 2008

Setlist: "Exile in Guyville" + encore (3 more songs, Polyester bride was the last one)

And a vid of her new song:

Thing is I'm not really into "Exile in Guyville" but into other "softer" "less cool" stuff, mainly songs from whitechocolatespaceegg...but it's always nice to listen to her singing live. Concert felt a little short and she hardly did any banter, which surprised me. She's really petite and she gives the impression she's just a pal improvising a concert for her friends. Even kind of shy at moments. Don't expect perfect tuning here or impeccable singing but she's fresh, she's in total complicity with her audience, the songs work (specially Polyester Bride) and she's fun. Different.

PS: Also uploaded this mini bit duet with someone from the audience that everybody there recalls (she kept asking for a girl to go onstage and sing it with her, but he was determined!. So she called us chicken and said what the ... and picked him!). He did really well:

Friday, August 22, 2008

Plus a link to another blogger with much better pics, and a link to XPN's archive where you can listen to the show (except for the last song, a cover of Somewhere over the rainbow), and this vid I recorded (recorded a few, this one's the one that turned out best by far so...):

It seemed to take her a bit to slip into the right vibe and the first two songs sounded somehow uninspired to me, but from then on she just got better and better. She managed to created a special and cozy atmosphere in the place and the sound was really perfect, not loud at all, as it happens too often . It is very welcome for all artists to have a distinct strong personality, but that is specially true of jazz/blues "dames". Surprisingly this woman, at 23, does have it and it becomes clear when you see her performing live.I don't know about a song she played that appears in the setlist as "Solo", which sounded great, but I haven't been able to locate it.

Offstage she was also super generous, not with the "artist trying to look nice" mask on but actually paying attention and caring about the people there.

And on a more frivolous note, it also takes a special skill to play the piano in those super high heels...!!

I wasn't going to write this post, but some time ago I told someone I would, and even if sometimes the actions of others do set us free from our promises -as it is the case- I'm still keeping mine. Strictly principles.

And a thought for the victims of Wednesday's plane crash in Madrid, and those involved in the rescue, who stepped into grief and void to help total strangers. I met the pilot briefly years ago, a specially good natured person.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

More or less in reverse chronological order (all events in the Philadelphia area during 2007 and 2008):-I don't always remeber to update these and there's some I don't include so you may want to check the main page or the search box too!-

Monday, August 11, 2008

Just found out about Ben Fold's duet with Regina Spektor, "You don't know me", you can listen to it in Ben's myspace. Love it.It's also fun to see Rufus Wainwright's cameo in Teddy Thompson's new video (otherwise totally forgettable), I wasn't sure when I saw it, but yes, it's him (they're longtime pals).And Jem has released a new single, "It's Amazing", the tune is really nice, the lyrics - to me- not so much (the "rejection" part is good though). By the way, another single for the new record, "On top of the world" is also around, has 2 lucky listeners on lastfm (next day: ok, seen two blogs offering the free download of this track, one of them here, haven't liked it. As in "It's amazing" seems too hare krishna happy everything's so lovely and at your reach sort of thing). Greg Kurstin, from the Bird and the Bee is on board though, and guy's ace, we'll see. He's busy too, working on Lily Allen's new record coming out next year.And my beloved Keane reappeared last week looking like the nightmare of taste. So they're going 80's, fine, but their look in the pic circulating everywhere is dull, worn, boring, ugly... And Tim Rice-Oxley (he's gorgeous, I've seen him close up) looks like an eerier version of Anthony Perkins in Psycho, at least if the grandmother was too in the photo it would have been funny. But all comments say it's great, so again it must be just me. The song, Spiraling, not saying much to me either (sounded familiar the way Chaplin sings, someone commented somewhere that it reminded them of Brandon Flowers (The Killers), I agree, I'd say mixed with Anita Ward's Ring my bell 's tune, serious!!!, at least in the beginning. Hope the rest of the album will be as brilliant as usual though- please!!. One thing I have to say: cowards they're not, they're risking it big time. That speaks highly of them.Also Inara George has released a new album too, this time with Van Dyke Parks, you can listen to some of the songs on her myspace.And for those in Philly, Coldplay are going to play here again in November, tickets on sale next week, hope I don't miss them again.What else? I've seen this movie, "Conversation(s) with other women", trailer here, wiki here, that was quite curious. It was shot using split screen, which has to be incredibly complicated but keeps you curiously active while watching + very low budget, and it should have been a really great movie but wasn't (dialogues fell short, the men casting...bottom feeling is achieved, though), I just kept thinking how fantastic it could have been. But it was sort of ok, different, and the bonus material was quite curious too. The thing is it proves that so very soon anybody will be able to make a quality movie practically at home (was made on a Mac). And maybe the movie industry will then suffer a revolution similar to the one that myspace and youtube imposed on music...exciting.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

If any of you is attending the show tonight a few things:*It's freezing: take a sweater, or better, take 2.* Sold out is about 350 people seating (having dinner) and about 50 standing in the standing area at the back or downstairs by the walls*Aimee didn't do a meet and greet, she did walk by the lobby at some point and headed upstairs but very discreetly so I didn't see anybody saying anything to her as she obviously was sort of sneaking out. All the other members in the band did show up and talked to the people there. The Submarines did hang out around the merch table plenty of time.*Photography: yes, no flash. At some point a woman in the first rows asked Aimee if she could take a pic with flash!. She didn't hold any grudges as it was from that woman she took the one request.*Aimee did take one request from the audience during the encore.*For setlist go to her message board here*Have fun!!

Well, truth be said I really didn't enjoy the show that much. For one thing, I'm not a fan of concerts during meal time (most people were seating having dinner, burgers, whole place smelling of grill and chips- nobody's fault, they had no choice if they wanted a good seat for this concert). And then the Submarines were ok, music was nice, but the whole thing didn't say much to me (maybe I was just having one of my unreceptive days, people loved them and they sold a ton of cd's), and later it turned out most of the songs Aimee chose to play I really didn't like much either. Not having much luck with setlists these last concerts. -By the way, seen there Aimee is better looking , taller, no so thin and her frame's not fragile at all as I thought it would be-. But I had a great time because of the people there.

Monday, August 4, 2008

A really good concert this Saturday, she was solo onstage as the bass player that usually plays with her was playing with Sia that night (Download festival). She sung for a little less than an hour to an audience that was kind of special to her (many faces she knew, as she's from Pennsylvania). The Tin angel was packed. Played many songs that weren't in her new album, like "Willow weeping", which she composed with Inara George from The bird and the bee (see below). She was incredibly nice and she let me ask her a question "in exclusive" for this blog, which is a first. This is the vid:* Which was the turning point in your career when you realized you were going to make it?

Friday, August 1, 2008

The Duke Spirit, "My sunken treasure". Maybe not their best song but definitely the catchiest, can't get it out of my head.And of course blesseth those who don't looketh back....or whatever...men mostly...

To listen to their fantastic gig and for setlist go to XPN's archives.Really good show, love Liela Moss's special voice and presence onstage, and the whole band really, drums guy rocked. The music is great and the lyrics are specially poignant and sharp. Held a meet and greet and were so nice to everybody there.More than worth checking out.